The Challenge

Teachers are the most important school-based influence on student success, and Emanuel Lutheran School in New London, Wisconsin, is a leader in great instruction. Principal Bill Fuerstenau shares his journey with Sibme to bolster teaching and leadership, from Martin Luther College to the Fox Valley Federation.

Discovering Sibme: A Game Changer

Bill's journey with Sibme began when he attended a teacher coaching session led by Dr. John Meyer at a WELS teachers' convention. When Dr. Meyer mentioned Sibme as a powerful tool used for teacher training. Bill delved into Sibme and saw its potential to transform teaching and leadership within his school.

Advantages of Using Sibme

The adoption of Sibme brought numerous advantages to Emanuel Lutheran’s educational community:

Valuable Feedback and Coaching

Sibme enabled administrators to provide teachers with valuable feedback and coaching, resulting in the continuous improvement of teaching practices.

Virtual Professional Learning Communities

One of Sibme's standout features is its ability to create virtual professional learning communities. In the vast expanse of Lutheran schools, it can be challenging to connect with peers and share ideas. Sibme bridges this gap, enabling teachers to learn from one another and exchange innovative teaching strategies.

Enhanced Teacher Evaluations

The platform's features, such as time-stamped comments and video evidence, significantly improved the teacher evaluation process. Administrators could provide evidence-based feedback, resulting in more accurate and constructive evaluations.

Embracing the Future with Sibme

Principal Bill's journey with Sibme is just beginning. His plans include onboarding new teachers, connecting with neighboring Lutheran schools, and exploring the platform's advanced features, including artificial intelligence. Bill's vision extends beyond his school, as he seeks to create a nationwide network of Lutheran educators benefiting from Sibme's transformative power.

In addition to these advantages, it's important to emphasize the benefits of: 

• Video recordings provide teachers with a reflective tool to observe and evaluate their teaching, bridging the gap between perception and reality.
• Teachers find value in identifying areas for improvement through video analysis.
• This approach empowers self-reflection, collaboration, and professional growth.
• The convenience and time-saving aspects of video recordings are highly appreciated.
• Teachers receive valuable, job-embedded feedback without the need to leave their classrooms.
• It fosters a sense of ownership over their learning process.
• The non-intrusive nature of video analysis is less disruptive to the classroom environment.
• It enables teachers to continuously enhance their teaching skills through experiential learning.

"You might be the WELS school at all in your community for miles and miles. Sibme offers an opportunity to create a virtual professional learning community among our schools where we can connect with teachers who share the same goal as you. And so to be able to have that sense of community that, that ability to get ideas from each other is really an opportunity."

Bill Fuerstenau, Principal, Emanuel Lutheran

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